Not All Who Wander
by TheSpode
Summary: Bella is an overworked single mom who has given up on the life she once dreamed. Can she learn to truly live and love again or will she settle for simply surviving? AH/AU
1. A Sequence of Interrelated Events

I had my back turned to the door as student filed out of Honors Junior English and in for Creative Writing class. I didn't want to risk infecting my entire class while my lungs made their attempt to escape my body. Every muscle in my body seemed to ache from this cold I had been fighting, and my head was pounding. I contemplated going home for the hundredth time today. No matter how much I loved my job, and the home its salary provided, it couldn't hold a candle to how much I wanted to crawl into bed and not move for a week. I was turned and facing the door before the logical mom voice reminded me that going home was impossible right now. Just one more class left, I chanted to myself. Just one more class left.

As the bell rang I turned to my desk and picked up my mug of tea. Taking a sip I began in a raspy, barely there voice, "Alright, today we continue our study of plot. Monday and Tuesday we talked about?"

I pointed at Karen who had her hand in the air, "Different kinds of plot devices."

"Excellent! Let's do a quick review." I continued quizzing the students on the various plot devices we had discussed in the previous lessons. Pleased with what they remembered, I moved on to the next part of the lesson. "Okay, now we are going to practice outlining full plots from beginning to end using what we have learned about plot structure and devices. I'm going to write several plots starters on the board and I want you to get into groups of three and map out a full plot based off of one of these starter plots. Any questions?"

I walked to the board and wrote the plot starters from memory. They were vague enough for students to put their own spin on the plot, but grounded enough to keep the plots from being so wacky and complex they are hard to follow. I had learned that lesson the hard way.

_A child's parent leaves when he/she is very young and must cope with the loss._

_A teenager has to reconnect with friends who he/she has hurt by his/her actions._

_A young woman gets pregnant unexpectedly and must decide what to do. _

_A new teacher must learn how to motivate students._

Students moved into groups and started working. Normally, I would move from group to group to check on work, but my legs were beginning to feel like Jell-o. I sat at my desk and sipped my tea while keeping an eye on each of the groups. I thought over my schedule for the next few days, and considered asking Alice and Jasper or Emmett and Rose to watch Charlotte for the rest of the week or even just for the evening. I knew they never minded watching her, and I wouldn't have to worry about her getting sick too. I hated imposing on them, but as awful as I was feeling, it might be worth it.

A few minutes before the final bell, I stood back up. "Okay, everyone, good work. I want you to hand in what you have so far and tomorrow we are going to start looking at plot holes. Have a good rest of your day."

A few students stopped to talk to me on their way out of class. By the time I talked and hacked my way through their questions, I had to rush to the library for my tutoring session. I wasn't more than two steps in the door when the room began to spin. I felt lightheaded and had to step back, grabbing the doorway to stay upright. After a few deep breaths the feeling began to fade. I headed in to one of the long desks where James and Alex sat waiting for me. "Sorry guys. I didn't mean to be late."

"It's alright, Ms. Swan. You don't look so good."

"I'll be fine. Don't worry. Okay, so we were working on proofreading your essays for Social Studies class, right?" I went straight to correcting their work and tried to put some energy into my hour with them. When James and Alex got up to leave, my second session of the night, Bethany, sat down. By the end of her hour, my cough and headache were worse. I was starting to get worried this was more than a cold.

Finally done for the evening, I dragged myself back to my classroom, put a few things in order, grabbed my stuff and headed for the door. I only had 15 minutes before I had to pick up Charlotte from After School Care. The fee you have to pay for being late is astronomical. I made it just in time, and I loaded her in the back seat. Charlotte jabbered non-stop about her day, and I tried to focus on what she was saying. My hands were shaking and I desperately wanted us home safely. By the time we made it home, all I wanted to do was collapse in a heap. I dropped our stuff by the door, not caring about the mess, and made my way to the kitchen to fix Charlotte some dinner.

As I filled a pot full of water to boil pasta, my thoughts wandered to my creative writing class. Every year I gave the class the same plot starters. It was a little secret only I knew. Every year the plots and stories they wrote gave me a little piece of hope, because even though my students never knew it, they weren't just imaginary plots starters. They were and are parts of my life. I have lived versions of each of those plats and every year I get to see through their eyes how my life could have turned out.

And every year as I erase the board I wonder, "What will the end of my story be?"

* * *

"911, please state your emergency." The 911 operator answered in a flat tone.

"Hello, my name is Charlotte Elizabeth Swan and I am five. I need to talk to my Uncle Emmett or my Uncle Jasper, please." Charlotte sat cross-legged on the kitchen floor and spoke confidently and clearly into her mother's cell phone.

The operator stifled a groan; he hated these calls. "Charlotte, I think you called the wrong number. Can I speak to your mom or dad?"

"No! I called 911 just like my mama told me. Please let me talk to Uncle Emmy or Jasper!" Charlotte's five-year-old confidence insisted she knew what she was doing.

"Charlotte, your mom told you to call 911? Is she there with you?"

"Yes, but she's sleeping and she won't get up. I shook her and yelled and I even made a mess but she won't open her eyes. She always told me that if something was wrong or if I got lost that I should call the 911 on the phone and my Uncle Emmett and Uncle Jasper would come and help me because they fight great big fires and save people and stuff. I need my Uncle Emmy and my Uncle Jasper to come help my mama, please." Charlotte was beginning to get scared. She expected the man on the phone to send her uncles immediately running through the door, and instead he seemed to not understand her at all.

The operator was momentarily stunned by how well spoken this little girl was, but was quick to identify that Charlotte's call was not a mistake. Still unsure of what the emergency was, he decided to work in double time to locate the station with two firefighters named Emmett and Jasper. Luckily, with names like those, it didn't take long. "Okay, sweetheart, I'm going to ask you some questions before I try and get your uncles to you. First, are you at home?"

"Yes."

"Do you know your address?"

"Yes, I live at 4650 Higgins Street Apartment 3, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America." Charlotte stated proudly. She had just learned her state and country at school.

The operator breathed a sigh of relief. Not only did they have a fix on the house, but her uncles' firehouse was only minutes away. He sent out the call to the station, but needed to keep Charlotte on the line until help came. "That's great, Charlotte. You're being very helpful. Can you tell me what your mom looks like? Is she sick? Do you see any blood?"

Charlotte looked down at her mom sprawled out on her stomach beside her. She reached down and used her tiny hands to shake her mama's shoulders again, but nothing happened. "She went to sleep on the kitchen floor, which is really silly, and she won't get up." Charlotte could see a puddle of water on the floor and the pot that had been on the stove lying next to her mother's arm.

"Her arm's all red but I don't see any ouchies with blood cause I could fix that with my Dora band aids. How long till Emmy and Jasper come?" Charlotte fright was increasing every minute without help. She wanted Uncle Emmett to come pick her up and hold her while Uncle Jasper fixed her mama.

Realizing there was very little this girl could do to assess her mom, and sensing her growing panic, the operator switched tactics. He needed to get an adult to this girl's mom as quickly as possible. "You are doing a lot to help your mom right now Charlotte. Now, are there any other adults in the house with you?"

"Nope, it's just me and my mama."

"Okay, Charlotte, you said your Uncles Emmett and Jasper were firefighters right?"

"Yup! They have these great big suits and cool hats and once they let me ride on the firefighter truck and blow the horn. I can even go down the big pole all by myself." Charlotte smiled. She loved to visit her uncles at work.

"I've found where they work, and I've got their friends from the firehouse coming to help your mom. Now, I don't know if your uncles are working today or not so I'm going to give you some instructions. Can you do what I say?"

"Yes, I'm really good at following instructions at school. I'm in Kindergarten."

"Great. You are doing great. I want you to stay on the phone with me and don't hang up until the firefighters come. I want you to go to the door and make sure it's unlocked. Can you do that?" Charlotte ran to the door and moved the doorknob until she got the door open just a crack.

"Okay, door's open, but I'm not supposed to go outside without an adult." Charlotte peeked down the hallway hoping to see someone to help, but there was no one yet.

"Nope, I don't want you to go outside. I want you to wait by the door for just a few more minutes and tell me when you see the firefighters. They should be there any minute."

What was just a few seconds later, Charlotte saw four men coming up the stairs towards her. "YEA!! I can see them!! I can see Seth and Ben. They work with Uncle Emmy and Uncle Jasper. Thank you for sending them!"

"You're more than welcome, Charlotte. You were awesome. Can you give the phone to one of the firemen?" Charlotte opened the door as Seth rushed in, picking her up off the floor and into his arms.

"Seth, Seth, the man on the 911 wants to talk to you." Charlotte thrust the phone at Seth's face.

"Hello, this is Seth Clearwater. We've got Charlotte and the paramedics are working on her mom right now. Looks like she's unconscious on the kitchen floor." Seth tried to keep Charlotte's turned toward him and not at what the paramedics were doing with her mom on the floor. He could see them working to get her vitals.

"Hey, Seth, do something special for that little girl. She did fantastic. Better than most adults do."

"Will do." Seth clicked off the phone and smiled down at Charlotte who he had met on several of her trips to the fire house. "Charlotte, the operator said you did a wonderful job helping get us to your mom. I'm going to call your Uncle Emmett and Uncle Jasper and have them meet us at the hospital, okay?"

Charlotte's face fell as she heard the word hospital and tears filled her eyes. "Is my mama going to be okay?"

Seth peered into the kitchen and saw Edward, their firehouse's new paramedic, and his partner Ben strapping Bella to a gurney and prepping her to move. They already had an IV in and they looked rushed to get her to the hospital. "You mama is going to be fine. She's just sick and our friends are working to make her better right now."

Seth used Bella's cell phone to call Emmett, who was off today. "Emmett, I need you to get Jasper and the girls down to the hospital now. Charlotte called 911 when she found Bella unconscious on the kitchen floor. Your brother is working on her now."

Edward and Ben started rolling Bella on a stretcher through the living room. Charlotte tried to reach for her mom, but was gently stopped by Edward as he passed. "You need to stay with Seth, Little One. We'll take good care of your mom."

With tears now freely flowing, Charlotte buried her face into Seth's shoulder as Bella was rolled out the door. "I have no idea what's wrong," Seth said exasperatedly over Emmett's continuous roar of panic-filled questions. "Just get in the car and meet us there. I'll go with Charlotte in the ambulance and meet you."

Seth shut the door behind them as he took off for the ambulance with a silently crying Charlotte on his hip.


	2. What I Never Knew to Ask For

I could hear hushed voices talking, Emmett and Rosalie by the sound of it. I lay still for a minute and tried to remember where I was. Frustrated at my lack of memory and my brain's slow response time, I tried to sit up. With an enormous effort, I managed only to move my arms a bit. The rest of me didn't seem to be cooperating. My eyes felt as lethargic as the rest of me, but with some effort I was able to open them. The lights were down low, but I instantly recognized the all too familiar features of a hospital room. I groaned in frustration. I hate hospitals.

"Bella? Are you awake?" Rosalie made her way quickly from her chair to the side of my bed. Even in the hospital she managed to look like she just stepped off the fashion runway with her long legs and her blonde hair cascading down her back. Her bear of a husband, Emmett was right behind her.

"What happened? Is Charlotte okay?" my voice came out in a gravely whisper. Immediately I was coughing violently, the whole bed shaking from the force. Every muscle in my body tensed and hurt from the coughing. I tried not to panic as I struggled to get air into my lungs.

Rosalie lifted a cup of water with a straw to my lips once the worst of the coughing had subsided. I took two long drags as the coughing died down. "Bella, you had us so worried. You're in the hospital with pneumonia. They brought you here after you passed out making Charlotte's dinner. I don't even want to think about what could have happened if you had passed out in the car or after Charlotte went to bed…"

Emmett interrupted her, "Charliebeth is fine. Actually, she's incredible. You're going to be so proud. When she found you, she called 911 and asked for her uncles. She gave all the right information and the operator said she was a pro, handled it better than most adults. She cried when they told her you would have to go to the hospital and she really lost it when we told her that she had to go home with Alice and Jasper tonight. Don't worry, though, once Jasper promised her as many bedtime books as she wanted, she settled down. She is SO your daughter."

"So, she's okay?" I felt relief wash over me which was quickly replaced by guilt. "I can't believe she had to call 911. I'm sure she was terrified. Are you sure Alice and Jasper are okay with her? Did they make sure to get her stuff for school in the morning?"

"Alice and Jasper love her as much as they love you, and they'll be fine. They went to the apartment and got everything she needs for the next couple of days. Alice will probably turn their house into slumber party central." She and I both cracked a smile picturing how overboard Alice always got with our slumber parties.

"The next couple of days? No, I need to get out of here in time to go to school tomorrow. I can't afford not to go to work. They are making us pay for our own subs now and I don't have that much wiggle room in my budget. Oh, and I have two tutoring sessions after school tomorrow. Not to mention I have a handful of papers for UIC students I have to edit this week. As much as I love Alice and Jasper, I can't just pawn my daughter off on them. They have lives too." My breathing picked up in my panic and it set off another coughing fit.

"Stop right now, Bella, and listen to me carefully." Emmett was hardly ever serious so I was stunned to see him look so authoritative. Even though he was older than me, I hardly ever heard him look or act like it. He put both hands up to my face to make sure I was looking right at him.

"You are _really_ sick. So sick that Carlisle couldn't believe you were able to stand up, no less go to work today. You look like you haven't eaten in weeks. When Edward responded to Charlotte's call you were dehydrated and struggling to breathe. I was so scared for you. We love you, and we can't lose you. Focus on getting better. Let us handle everything else. For once in your life, let someone take care of you rather than you taking care of everyone else."

My breath caught in my throat when Emmett admitted he was scared for me. What did I do to deserve such amazing friends? "I'll try, Em. I promise I will. But my life can't just stop because I'm sick."

"I'm not saying it does, but it also won't fall apart in the time it takes for you to recover either. Rose already called the school and your tutoring students and told them you wouldn't be in again until at least Monday. When Alice and Jasper got Charlotte's stuff they grabbed your lesson plan book and dropped it off at the school, so you are covered. We already worked out a plan for someone to come over and help you around the house until Sunday at least. If you aren't better by then, we'll take it from there." Emmett looked at me protectively and stroked my messy, hospital bed hair.

"You guys are amazing, you know that? How long was I out? What time is it?" I can't imagine how much it took for them to put together a plan so fast.

"Edward said they got the call around 7 and it's nearing midnight now."

That was the second time I had heard that name since I woke, and it was confusing to say the least. "Edward? Like your brother Edward? I thought he was a paramedic in Boston." I had met Edward several times since Rose and Emmett got together, but it had been a while since I had seen him.

"He decided to move back to Chicago to be closer to Mom and Dad, and his new niece or nephew." Emmett stepped back behind Rosalie and put both of his giant hands on her almost unnoticeable baby bump. She was only four month pregnant and just starting to show.

"Oh, Rosie! The baby. You shouldn't be anywhere near me right now. You should be anywhere near Charlotte either just to be safe. I'm so sorry. I didn't even think." The last thing I wanted to do was get Rosalie and the baby sick.

"Isabella Marie, will you stop worrying for two seconds? I love you, but you are going to go prematurely gray from all your worrying. Carlisle said it was fine to be here. I'm not going to help out by coming to the house until you are on the mend, but I'm not leaving you in the hospital alone unless I absolutely have to." The look on her face was a warning to drop the subject so I quickly looked back to Emmett.

"Will Edward be working at the station with you and Jasper?" I knew there were teams of paramedics and EMTs that were stationed at the firehouse with them.

"Yup! It's going to be awesome!" Emmett looked thrilled at the prospect of working with his brother. "He does great work. He answered the call to your house, and he had your burn wrapped, your IV pumping, and your breathing improved by the time they rolled you into the ER."

"My burn?" I looked around and noticed for the first time that my right arm was covered in gauze. It didn't hurt at all and it made me wonder what kinds of painkillers they had me on.

"When you passed out, you took the pan on the stove with you. The hot water poured all over your arm. Luckily, it wasn't boiling yet, so the burn isn't too bad. It'll hurt more when they take you off whatever meds they have you on here." Rosalie affirmed my suspicions.

The door opened and in came Dr. Cullen, Jasper, Emmett, and Edward's father. Every time I saw him in scrubs and a lab coat, I could swear he walked straight out of a soap opera. I'm sure he had the nurses swooning on a regular basis. Since Emmett and Jasper had met Rosalie and Alice I had spent plenty of time getting to know Carlisle and Esme. They were like surrogate parents since my dad was so far away. I had spent a few holidays at their house when I couldn't afford plane tickets back to Forks. They even watched Charlotte on the few occasions I needed a babysitter.

"Bella, it's good to see you, but if you wanted to see me, you could have just come over to the house." Carlisle joked, and then stepped forward to examine the readouts on the machines next to my bed. "So, how are you feeling?"

"Fantastic. I'm thinking of running the marathon." I sighed and began coughing again.

"Any headache? Diziness? Trouble breathing?"

"The headache is gone. I'm still a bit woozy. My lungs, however, seem determined to escape my body with all this coughing. It makes it hard to breathe."

"We'll see what we can do about the coughing, but we also want your body to keep trying to break up the mess in your lungs. We have you on antibiotics and a cough reducer, because as I'm sure Emmett and Rosalie have told you, you have bacterial pneumonia. We also have you on a pretty strong pain medication now, so as it wears off, please let us know if the headache gets worse or the burn starts to hurt. I'll send you home with a lesser strength prescription for the pain, and an ointment for the burn. Can you tell me how long you have been sick?"

"About a week, give or take. I figured it was just a cold and thought it would go away."

"I wish you had come to see my earlier, so we could have stopped this before it got so bad." I knew Carlisle wasn't chastising me, but was genuinely upset I hadn't come to him sooner. "I know you are a busy woman, raising that beautiful daughter of yours all by yourself, but I would have worked around your schedule. I'll see you in the middle of the night if it means I don't have to see you here at the hospital. I hate seeing you like this. Esme was beside herself when she heard."

"I know, Carlisle. I'm sorry."

Carlisle just smiled and patted my hand, "Don't worry, sweetheart. Now, we are going to keep you overnight, but you should be fine to be released in the morning. When you get home, you need to be resting. No running errands, doing housework. Just let your body heal and rest. You shouldn't go back to work until I give you the all clear. I hear there is a plan for someone to be with you at the house for the next couple of days to make sure you follow all your doctor's orders."

"Yup, we have her all covered, dad" Emmett replied.

"Everything looks okay for now, so I suggest you get some sleep. I'll come check on you in the morning before the discharge you. Emmett and Rose should probably head home soon." Carlisle did one last double check on the machines then headed towards the door. I knew he was here much later than normal, and I hoped it wasn't just on my account.

I could see both Rose and Emmett look worried at the prospect of leaving. "Rose, Emmett, you guys can head home and get some sleep. Especially you, Rose, that baby needs the rest. I'll be fine until morning."

They both promised to be back early in the morning and headed towards the door with Carlisle. Before the left, Carlisle turned back to me. "Oh, and Bella, since I know you well enough to know you will find some way to fret about it, the hospital bill is covered. Don't worry about money at all. Esme and I have you covered."

"What? No, Carlisle, it's okay. I'll find a way to pay for the bill. It was my own stupid fault I'm here. You don't need to…"

"I know we don't need to, but we want to do this. So let it go. If I hear about you sniffing around about the bill to anyone else, I will stick Esme on you." I was stunned.

"But…" We locked eyes and I knew he wasn't going to take no for an answer. I had only seen Esme angry a couple of times, but she could be quite an angry mama bear if she needed to be. I hated it, but it didn't seem like there was any use fighting it. I sighed. "Thank you, Carlisle. Tell Esme I said thank you as well."

"I'll do that. Now, get some rest, and we'll see you in the morning." It was only seconds from the time the door shut quietly until the time I fell back to sleep.


	3. Magical Cleaning Gnomes

I was so eager to get out of the hospital the next morning that I spent at least a half an hour trying to come up with a reasonable escape plan. Unfortunately, the sticking point was that there was no way I was taking the IV out myself. I sighed in relief when, true to his word, Carlisle came to check on me around 6. I assured him I was feeling much better than I had the day before. I was clearly still sick with a heavy cough, a slight fever, and an aching body, but I didn't feel anywhere near as awful as I had yesterday. Carlisle seemed pleased and promised I would be released soon.

An hour later Emmett, Jasper and Edward poked their head in my room. Edward was still as breathtakingly handsome as he had been the few times we had met before. Over the years since Emmett met Rosalie, we had crossed paths several times, and every time he ended up looking more handsome than I remembered. His deep green eyes were always so alive and his bronze hair made bed head look fashionable. If I wasn't a single mom who was totally screwed up when it came to guys and relationships, I might have even considered actually playing along with our friends' matchmaking intentions for the two of us rather than working against them. He smiled broadly at me, and I suddenly realized I had been staring.

"So, Bella," Emmett smirked and interrupted my thoughts, "I see you remember my baby brother, Edward." He winked at me and I blushed.

"How can I forget the only man to walk me down the aisle?" I tried to cover my obvious embarrassment at ogling Edward by mentioning our little inside joke. Edward and I had gotten to know each other when we were paired to walk down the aisle together at both Emmett and Rosalie's and Alice and Japser's wedding. I knew it wasn't a coincidence. My friends were nothing if not obvious about their desire for a love connection between us. I had chosen to play ignorant to their schemes. Edward gave a swoon-worthy smile as he seemed to be remembering the same thing. "The last time I saw you was last Christmas at Carlisle and Esme's house."

"It's good to see you again. I'm sure we will be seeing more of each other." My blush was burning bright and I hid a cough. "Now that I've moved to Chicago, I mean."

Saving me from my own pit of embarrassment, Jasper came over to my bed and gave me a fierce hug. "I'm so glad you are alright. Please don't ever do that again." I hugged him back hard in an attempt to reassure him. We had been great friends since middle school. It wasn't often Jasper was physically affectionate, and I knew I had scared him. He kissed the top of my head as he pulled away.

"Before you ask, Charliebeth is great. Kid's a genius. We did homework last night, and I sent a note to school explaining why Alice would be picking her up for the next few days. We barely got her to school on time this morning because she and Alice butted heads over her outfit. Alice eventually relented and let her wear the Cubs shirt instead of the dress. Alice drew the line at the baseball cap, though. She is definitely your daughter. I promised her we would take good care of you. She worries just like you, too." Jasper filled me in and I sighed. It was exactly what I needed to hear.

Carlisle came back with my release paperwork. "I know you are eager to get out of here, so I'll make this fast. I need to go over a few things first. If you don't mind, I'd like for the boys to be here so they know what's going on when they come help out."

"No problem." I was sure Emmett and Jasper would get the information out of me eventually, but I was thankful Carlisle respected my privacy.

"I've had the prescriptions I mentioned to you earlier filled. Be sure to take them until they are gone, not just until you feel better." Carlisle handed me three prescription bags.

"You'd be surprised how many people just take the medication until they feel better and then leave us with all of these antibacterial resistant strains of…" Edward started to comment, but Carlisle spoke over him.

"You need to get a lot of rest. I know you'll try to push yourself, but you need to take it easy."

This time Jasper interrupted Carlisle. "You just let us know what you need us to do. We promise to take care of everything."

Undeterred, Carlisle continued, "As I was saying, I'm concerned about how much fluid we had to pump into you. Make sure you stay well hydrated. Drink lots of water, juice, and..."

"Do you need the girls to pick you up some groceries?" Emmett offered. Carlisle was beginning to look frustrated, but pushed on.

"You are also slightly underweight. I know you have a nasty habit of forgetting to eat when you get busy, but if your body doesn't have fuel, it can't keep up with bugs like this."

"We need to get rid of those chicken-y legs of yours. Get some food in you so there is more cushion for the pushin'." Emmett laughed at his own joke.

"Boys! I'm trying to give Bella some instructions, and I could do without the commentary. And Emmett McCarty Cullen, you better hope I don't tell your mother you said something like that to Bella." Emmett's face blanched and all three boys seemed to shut their mouths. While it didn't come out very often anymore, Carlisle and Esme were still parents to the core.

"I'll want to see you on Friday, so either you can come by the hospital or I can come by the house. I think Jasper brought you some clothes to change into and then once you sign the paperwork, you should be off."

The boys left the room so I could change. I was infinitely thankful for however Jasper had managed to sneak me my favorite UIC t-shirt and sweats along with a Chicago Fire Department hoodie. Fashion always came before comfort to Alice and Rosalie, no matter how sick you were. I had known them both long enough to hear them clearly in my mind as I changed. "Being sick is no reason for you to look like a hobo, Bella." or " What if there was some hot doctor you run into on your way out?" I had long since learned that playing Bella Barbie was a sign of their love. I had also learned several effective techniques to avoiding it.

When I walked out I was informed Emmett and Jasper were due at the station in a half hour and Edward would be taking me home. I hugged them both and thanked them for their help. They promised to come see me Friday night after they had caught some sleep following their 24 hour shift. Edward and I got into his Volvo and 20 minutes later we were walking into my apartment.

"Would you like the grand tour?" I said, shutting the door behind me and making a sweeping gesture with my arm.

"Sure, but then you need to rest. Doctor's orders." I rolled my eyes at Edward and pushed forward into the room.

"This is the living room." As I walked through the apartment, my mind began creating a list of all the things that needed to be done. The house was a disaster since I hadn't felt up to cleaning while I was sick. I hated the thought of my friends coming in and out of the apartment when it looked like this. I walked straight forward from the door, avoiding the toys in my path, towards the short hallway on the opposite side of the room.

Two steps down the hallway, I gestured to the left, "This is the bathroom." I mentally added to my list the pile of laundry in the basket and the toothpaste all over the sink.

I gestured to the right, "This is Charlotte's room." Just the sight of her room made me miss her horribly, and at the same time, add five more things to my mental list. It looked as if a tornado had come through her room, which was odd. She knew better than to leave things everywhere.

"You miss her, don't you?" Edward said, looking at me intensely.

"So much. I know it's only been a day but she is my life. If I don't see her tonight, it will be the longest we have ever been apart since she was born." I ached knowing how hard yesterday must have been on her. I would have to do something to make it up to her. Edward nodded and I moved forward into the kitchen. "And this is the kitchen." A look in the fridge told me we were in desperate need of groceries. I sighed.

"Do you need something? I could run out and get you whatever you need."

"No, no, I'm just thinking I need to get groceries. There is so much to do! I'm behind on everything." I was suddenly overwhelmed, and I fought back frustrated tears. I was never going to be able to get everything done. I hated to admit I needed help with things I should be able to manage on my own, no less to this incredibly handsome near-stranger. He's going to think I'm a mess. I _am_ a mess.

"Bella, you can't worry about groceries right now. You need to rest and focus on getting better."

"I can't just sit on my butt when there is so much to do. You just saw the state of this apartment and it's mortifying for people to come in and out of here with it looking like a trash dump. I have classes to plan for and homework to grade. Charlotte finally settled on a Halloween costume and I need to get started sewing on it before I run out of time. There is a mountain of laundry in the bathroom. I haven't been to the grocery in weeks and I'm supposed to cook for the firehouse this week. I have…." Heavy coughing prevented me from talking any further. I waited for it to stop, but it didn't. I couldn't breathe properly and the room was beginning to spin.

"Breathe, Bella. Just breathe." Edward was instantly at my side, rubbing my back soothingly. I tried to take deep breaths, but it only caused me to cough harder. I grabbed onto Edward as my vision spun so hard I thought I would fall over. He picked me up bridal style and asked, "Where is your room?"

"Living room" I managed to get out between coughs.

"What? I want you to rest in your bed, not on the couch. Where is your room?" He walked back through the apartment looking for any sign of another room. When he got back to the living room, I pointed at the corner of the room where a five panel room divider stood. Edward pulled the panels back to reveal a twin bed and a small side table.

Carefully, he set me on the bed. He left me for a moment and returned with a bottle of water and a chair. He eyed me curiously. "You sleep in the living room?"

"I can't afford a two bedroom apartment on a teacher's salary, not even with two extra jobs. Raising a child in Chicago is expensive and I'm on my own. I don't want her to have to sacrifice." It wasn't the first time I had encountered this argument, so my defenses were immediately raised.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to come out like that. You don't need to defend it to me. You work two other jobs?" He moved the chair near the bed.

"My primary job is teaching high school English. I also do private tutoring after school and I edit papers for students at the University. The tutoring can pay pretty well, but it cuts into my evenings with Charlotte. The paper editing I can do once she's asleep, but it doesn't pay as much."

"Wow, three jobs and raising a daughter. That's a lot. What do you do in your free time?" I tried to get a read on his expression, but I couldn't.

"What is this free time you speak of?" I answered with a dark chuckle. Then I turned at looked at the picture of her and I on the nightstand and pointed to it. My face broke into a smile. "It's worth it. Charlotte makes it all worth it."

He smiled back at me. "So she's five now?"

"Five going on 35. Her birthday is in a few months and on her list so far she had some movies, a doctor kit, a new backpack, and an Ipod. An Ipod! Oh, and her most recent fascination is pretending she is having a baby, now that Rosalie is pregnant. She and I had to talk about how she can only walk around with a baby doll under her shirt at home, not at the mall or at school. Got to love being a mom."

"I'm sure you are doing a great job. What about her dad? Still not in the picture?" Edward asked lightheartedly.

"What is this? Twenty Questions?" I laughed half-heartedly.

"Sure. If you don't mind that is. I find you fascinating." Edward leaned forward closer to me. My first instinct was to scoot back on the bed, but I resisted, letting him move closer. There was something about his presence I found comforting.

"As long as I get my turn to ask you questions later?" I said more as a question than a statement.

"Deal." He said, even sticking out his hand to shake on it.

I laughed at him, which started me coughing. I turned my head so I wouldn't get him sick and when I turned back, he was looking at me with a mixture of sadness and anticipation. I smiled up at him. "To answer your question, no. Her dad isn't a part of her life right now. It's okay, though. Between Alice, Rosalie, Jasper, Emmett, Esme, Carlisle, my step-mom and my dad, she has more family support than most people ever dream of having." We looked at each other for a long time. It wasn't awkward or embarrassing. It was soothing. It had been a very long time since someone had stopped and looked at me like I was fascinating.

Of course, the moment these thoughts crossed my mind, I immediately began to panic. Whatever this was, it wasn't going to happen. We both had too much at stake, and frankly a guy like him would have no interest in a girl like me. I took a slow breath and broke the silence.

"Okay, my turn. What's your favorite color?" And so he began the questions that went on all morning. We sat and talked about everything and anything. We moved in odd tangents from the music we loved to our favorite subjects in school. I could feel my body relaxing as the morning went on, and all other thoughts of what I needed to be doing left my head. Even the near constant, worried narration in my mind seemed to be silent.

By lunch time, we had learned more about each other in one morning than we had in all our other encounters combined. I offered to make us lunch, but Edward insisted on doing it. The most he would let me do is sit in the kitchen to tell him where things were.

After a delicious lunch of soup and grilled cheese, I was exhausted even though I had done nothing all day. My headache was returning and every cough made everything in my body hurt. My throat felt open and raw. Edward seemed to sense how much worse I was feeling and suggested I go lay down. He followed shortly with some tea and my medication. I took it quickly and was out before I could thank him.

When I woke up, I instantly noticed two things. The first was a wafting smell of tomatoes and garlic. The second was that my living room was clean. I groaned as my body fought my will to move, but after a few minutes I got to my feet. I shuffled slowing into the kitchen towards the delicious smell. For a moment, I thought I might actually be dreaming. There in my kitchen was a Greek god of a man helping my daughter shake garlic onto buttered bread. I would have been convinced I was dreaming until the painful hacking in my lungs began.

"Mama! You're okay!" Charlotte ran and hugged me around the waist. I picked her up and held her tight. "Edward and I are making pasghetti and cheesy bread."

"I can see that, baby. It smells really good." I smiled down at her. I tried not to look distressed at the thought of eating garlic toast with my raw throat.

"How are you feeling?" Edward asked while putting the lids back on the butter and the garlic. "We didn't wake you, did we?"

"I'm feeling better, I think. The rest was just what the doctor ordered." He smirked at my response. I looked back a Charlotte. "How was school today? Did you do anything fun?"

"We got new books at the library, and after school Aunt Ali and Aunt Rosie let me come to the 'tique. I helped Aunt Ali get the groceries. Uncle Emmy and Uncle Jasper said they were going to take real good care of you at the hospital and that I was super brave. I missed you." Her turned a sad face to me.

"Your uncles were right. They did take good care of me and so did you. You were so amazingly brave, baby. I am so proud of you." Charlotte beamed."I love you, you know that, right?"

"Love you too, mama." Charlotte gave me a kiss on the cheek and one more hug than jumped down and ran to where Edward was putting the bread in the oven.

"Alice dropped her off about an hour ago. Apparently, Charlotte got really upset when Alice told her she was going to spend another night away from you. She was really worried about you, so I told her I would watch her here until later on tonight. Alice will be back later on this evening. She said not to worry about the firehouse. She would make sure they had what they needed. I'm surprised we didn't wake you, but you were pretty out of it. I went ahead and made dinner for us."

"I have to admit, I'm glad Alice dropped her off. I needed to see her. I'll have to figure out how much I own Alice for the groceries. By the way, did you clean my living room?"

"No, that was the magical cleaning gnomes. They do pretty good work, don't they?" Edward asked Charlotte.

"Eddwarrrd," Charlotte said, shaking her head, "There is no such thing as cleaning gnomes."

"Oh, but my dear, there ARE such things as cleaning gnomes. You see, they heard how sick you mom was and they felt just awful for her. So they decided to help out a little bit around the house. They did everything but vacuum because they didn't want to wake her up. They might have also done some laundry, but really, it took them no time at all, what with their magical cleaning powers and all."

Charlotte eyed Edward as she tried check if he was joking or not. I stifled a giggle and mouthed "Thank you" over her head. Edward just shot me a crocked grin. "Now my dear, Charlotte, we are going to finish dinner while you mom goes and takes a nice hot shower. Everything should be done by the time she is out."

"Then can we watch a movie?" Charlotte asked Edward with a tiny pleading face.

"I'd love to, but only if it's alright with your mom" Edward looked up with anticipation written all over his face. When they both turned to me, I couldn't help but sigh. They were a dangerous combination.

"Please, mom, please can Edward stay and watch a movie. I'll let you pick." Charlotte said in her best pleading voice and half pouting face.

"Is your homework done?" I asked.

"Yup, I got it all done right after school while I was waiting at Aunt Alice and Aunt Rosie's 'tique." Charlotte beamed.

"Okay. Now, I'm going to get cleaned up while you go pick up your room. It's a mess in there." I turned and shooed her out of the kitchen and into her room. I noticed her bed had already been made and her laundry was sitting clean on her dresser. She immediately got to work cleaning all her toys off the floor.

As I entered the bathroom, I realized he had not only cleaned the living room, but the bathroom was immaculate. The laundry basket was empty while piles of clean laundry sat on the lid. The sink was toothpaste free. Every surface shown as I stood in the center of the bathroom gawking. Edward was an angel.

The shower felt amazing, but I didn't linger. It wasn't more than fifteen minutes and I was back out in the kitchen in clean yoga pants and sweatshirt. Dinner tasted good, though I stayed away from the garlic bread. Charlotte detailed out ever part of her day for Edward and I. I was always amazed at how bright and articulate she was, though I knew I was just a little biased.

After dinner, we cleaned up together and I let Charlotte pick out a movie. I had a feeling I knew what she would pick, so I wasn't surprised when the menu for _The Emperor's New Groove_ popped plopped down on the couch between Edward and I and curled up into my side. She and I quoted our favorite lines as Edward laughed and rolled his eyes at us.

As the movie wore on, my eyes got heavier and heavier. I held Charlotte tight against my body and kissed the top of her head. The next thing I knew she was wiggling out of my arms and giggling. I started to stir. She reached up and patted my cheek. "Good night, mama."

I considered walking to my bed, but sleep began to over take me again. My dreams were filled with the happy smiles of my little girl. We were flying, weightless. In my dream I heard Edward's sweet, velvet voice say, "Sleep well, sweet Bella."


	4. The Return of Supermom

Author's Note:

I'm sorry the update took so long. I actually went back and re-wrote the first three chapters a bit because I felt like they needed some personality. Nothing serious, so if you have already read those chapters, you may continue on without missing anything.

Thanks to my sometimes beta-reader and always best friend Hannah.

I'd love to hear your comments so please read and review.

* * *

"Charlotte, you have to eat your breakfast. It's getting cold." I heard Alice call from the kitchen. Little footsteps coming towards the living room told me Charlotte was racing away rather than towards whatever breakfast Alice had made. I stretched my body and winced at the stiffness. My lungs were still on protest, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been. I was seriously battling between getting up to help and staying under the covers when I heard Alice catch Charlotte just inside the living room.

"Shhh, we don't want to wake your mother up. She's sick and she needs the rest she can get. Now, you are absolutely not wearing those shoes with that outfit. I don't care what your mom let's you wear." I heard Charlotte whine something under her breath.

"Let's go look in your closet one more time, please." Alice coaxed and I heard both the girls retreat to Charlotte's bedroom.

Mornings are a carefully orchestrated event when you are a working, single mom. Alarms can never be snoozed, because even five minutes off and your whole morning could turn out to be a disaster. It has taken me years of trial and error to craft a plan that gets Charlotte to Before School Care and me to work by 7:30 every morning. So, I have to admit it was awfully amusing to lie in bed and listen to Alice try and get my daughter up and ready for school. I decided to feel decadent and stay in bed just a little longer. How often do I get this kind of opportunity, even if it was because my lungs were full of muck? Besides, Alice was doing great for a newbie.

I had just started to nod back off to sleep when I heard it all fall apart. "Do not make that face at me, Charlotte Elizabeth Swan. I made this oatmeal for you and you are going to eat it. Now you eat while I find your other shoe and your backpack. Honestly, where could it be hiding in a place this small?" Alice's tone shook me out of my sleepiness. Worry started to creep up on me.

"I won't eat it. It's gross! I don't wanna wear those shoes. I want to wear my sneaks." I didn't need to be in the room to know exactly how her arms were crossed across her chest and how her face was curled into a angry pout, almost always the prequel to a full on fit throwing.

If the missing shoe issue was almost enough to get me out of bed, the next thing I heard was definitely meant my happy sleep time was over. "What is this, Charlotte? What do you mean you have a take home folder? How come you didn't mention this take home folder last night? We need to be out the door in five minutes!"

I threw my legs over the bed and sat up so fast that I saw spots. I took two deep breaths that caused a flare of coughing. Alice and Charlotte must have heard me because before I made it any further two girls were standing near my bed wearing matching frustrated faces.

"Mama, tell Aunt Ali I can wear my sneaks." Charlotte whined at the exact same moment Alice started.

"Bella, why does this little girl own no matching shoes? Seriously?! Have I taught you nothing?"

"Deep breath, ladies. Deep breath. Now, what shoes are you looking for?" Alice held up a red Mary Jane as Charlotte stuck her tongue out at the shoe. "Charlotte, the matching shoe is by the laundry in the bathroom. Go grab it and put it on. You know better than to be disrespectful to your Aunt Alice. You do it again and no TV privileges over the weekend. One day without your sneaks isn't going to hurt you."

Charlotte immediately caved at the thought of missing her Qubo cartoons on Saturday morning, and went to look for her other shoe. "Alice, hand over the take home folder. She didn't think to tell you about it last night because I always take care of it without her asking. I'll have it done in time for you to leave. What did you make for breakfast?"

"It's blueberry oatmeal. I know I can't cook but honestly, it looks good to me." Alice sighed.

"Ali, she hates oatmeal. She says it looks like mushed up worms." I looked up at the clock and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. Normally I would make a stand on the breakfast issue, since I was pretty hard nosed about making sure Charlotte ate whatever I happened to cook for meals. Our rule is she eats what I make, or she doesn't eat at all. But they really did need to be out the door in five minutes or Charlotte was going to be late for school. The strict mom in me balked, but I said, "Grab her a breakfast Lean Pocket and put it in the microwave. I'll eat the mushed up worms. Anything else?" I looked at my best friend with my best commanding mom face.

Alice shook her head and pulled me into a short, tight hug. We headed to the kitchen. I quickly went through Charlotte's take home folder, signing a field trip permission form, pulled out the classroom newsletter to read later, and grabbed out a very colorful picture. "That's a great picture, baby girl! Who are all the people?" I asked as she snarfed down her breakfast. I went to put the picture on the fridge.

"No! Mama, that picture is for Oma and Opa." Oma and Opa names we had given to Carlisle and Esme when Charlotte was a baby. "We had to draw a picture of our family. So I drew you, me, Aunt Ali and Uncle Jasper, Aunt Rosie, Uncle Emmy and their baby, Oma and Opa, Papa Charlie and Nana Sue. I had the biggest family in the whole class." She practically glowed with pride as she pointed to each of the figures.

"Okay, I have to see your Opa today when he checks me out to make sure I'm feeling better. I'll give it to him then."

Charlotte nodded and took the last bite of breakfast. Alice and I gathered everything she needed and headed towards the door. "Have a great day, baby girl." I hugged both of them hard. "Thanks for doing this, Alice. You are an angel. Will I catch you later?"

"I'm planning on sleeping over again tonight, and don't you dare fight me on it either. It's either me sleeping here, or Charlotte over at my house, and I know how much you don't want to be away from her. We'll do a girl's night with manicures and movies. It'll be so much fun." Alice lived for girl's nights. I just hoped I could play sick enough to get out of too much makeover "fun".

"Okay, but you are taking my bed if you are sleeping here tonight. I don't want you sleeping on the couch again." I hated that she had slept on the couch, especially after everything she had done.

"We do not have time for this argument. Besides I already know you will lose anyway. Just relax and let me take care of everything."

"I swear those are going to be the last words I hear before I die in a whirlwind of stilettos and silk." I muttered under my breath. Alice just glared.

"Now, Edward should be over in a bit. Jasper will pick Charliebeth up from school and then I think he and Emmett are taking her to the park. I'll make sure they bring over dinner. I'll be by after we close up the boutique. Now, you go lay down and rest."

As Alice had promised, Edward did come to the house a hour later and spent the better part of the day working off a list he was adamant I create of all the things I could use help with around the house. Despite my insistence that either I could call the landlord or I could take care of it myself, he won out in the end. I blame the pneumonia. When he managed to complete some household jobs that had been on my list for months in under a day, I wasn't sure if I was angry or ecstatic with him.

After Edward, the whole weekend was a merry-go-round of people in and out of the apartment, some more helpful than others. Esme came over twice with loads of food and would flit around the apartment finding things to clean while insisting I do nothing but rest. Emmett came over to watch Charlotte through most of Saturday. Unfortunately, by the time he left the house was a wreck and the food Esme brought was almost gone. Jasper and Alice took Charliebeth on Saturday night when my fever spiked again. Even Carlisle came by the house on Sunday just to be sure I was well enough to go back to work.

I generally hate Mondays but a return to some sense of normalcy was a welcome relief. The first few days back were a whirlwind as I tried to make up for lost days in the classroom and at home. The sub hadn't done a great job of sticking to my lesson plans, so I was playing catch up trying to get my classes back on track. I still had a lingering cough and by the time I got Charlotte down for bed Monday and Tuesday, I was out just a few minutes after her.

Wednesday was particularly grueling. The principal at my school had stopped by during lunch to check in on how I was feeling and to discreetly hand me the bill for the cost of last Thursday and Friday's subs. The students in my classes seemed particularly distracted and my two tutoring sessions were more frustrating than normal. By the time I picked up Charlotte, my head was pounding. When she reminded me that she was in charge of snacks for school the next day, I didn't even have any energy to be angry. We stopped at the store and picked up snacks and dinner.

I had just put the car in park, when my phone rang. "Hello" I answered gruffly. I stuck the phone against my shoulder as I went to get Charlotte and the groceries out of the back seat.

"Hey, Bella. It's Edward."

"What can I do for you, Edward?" I fought to listen and get everything out of the car in one trip.

"Um..well...I wanted to check in and see how you were feeling." Edward seemed hesitant, but I wasn't in the mood to beat around the bush.

"I'm feeling better, thank you. But I'm in the middle of trying to get us into the house. Can I talk to you later?" Charlotte had grabbed her backpack and was impatiently waiting for me to get a handle on the grocery bags before crossing the parking lot.

"Oh, I just…I was also wondering what you were doing for dinner tonight?" Edward managed to stutter out.

"Dinner tonight?" I managed to get out before I accidentally dropped the phone in the parking lot. "Crap!"

"Mama, you said a bad word." Charlotte giggled at me.

"I did, baby, and I shouldn't have. Can you please get the phone and hand it to me?" I didn't want to risk losing the groceries in the middle of the parking lot. Charlotte grabbed the phone with her little fingers and handed it up to me. I managed to get it repositioned while we walked toward the building.

"Bella! Bella! Are you there? Are you okay?" Edward sounded panicked on the other end of the line.

"I'm here, Edward, and I'm fine. I just dropped the phone. You asked about dinner tonight?" I stood in the grass in front of my building while Charlotte danced back and forth entertaining herself.

"Yeah, I did. I was wondering if you had plans." It sounded so simple to him, but it was the final straw for me.

"Plans, Edward? I'm sorry, but Charlotte and I already picked up something I could barely afford for dinner. Besides, right now I have to get Charlotte fed and into bed in the next hour or she's going to be a grump tomorrow. I have lessons to re-plan since nothing has gone right in my classes this week. I have papers I'm supposed to edit. My head is pounding. I appreciate the offer, but if you want to make plans with us, you are going to have to ask way further in advance." It all just spewed out of my mouth like venom before I even had time to consider what I was saying. It had been a long, frustrating day, but Edward didn't deserve to get the brunt of it. There were two beats of silence on the phone before

"I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't think…"Edward started to backtrack.

"No, Edward. I'm sorry. That came out all wrong, and I apologize for jumping on you. It's just been a long day." I hoped he would understand.

"Want to talk about it?"

"No thanks. I appreciate the invitation, but right now I just want to get inside and fix us some dinner. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Sure. I'll talk to you later. Bye." I heard the phone click and I sighed to myself. I shouldn't have been so harsh to Edward. But the truth was, my life wasn't as simple as "let's go grab some dinner." I wasn't like Alice, Rosalie, or other girls in their 20s who went out every night of the week, who had a social life. I had given that up any hope of a life for myself years ago. It was calls like those that made me wish things could be different, but it was no use in wanting what I couldn't have. I dropped my phone into my purse and ushered a still dancing Charlotte into the building.

Friday night was spent doing one of my most dreaded activities, shopping. Charlotte had a birthday party to attend on Sunday and there was no way around going to Target to get a present. By the time we got in and out my frustration level was high and my bank account was low. I didn't know how Alice and Rosalie managed to love shopping so much that they willingly ran their own boutique downtown. It was a mystery I would never understand.

The rest of the weekend was spent in the car rather than at home. Saturday morning was dance class at the community center then off to get the supplies for Charlotte's Halloween costume. It was mid-afternoon when we pulled into Jiffy Lube. As much as I hated coming here on a busy Saturday, there just wasn't another time for us to come and the car was way overdue.

I had settled into a chair in the small lobby with a book when my phone rang. It was Edward. We had been playing phone tag since his call on Wednesday. "Hey, Edward. How are you?"

"I'm good, how are you doing?"

"I'm trying to keep my five year old daughter contained in the tiny lobby of Jiffy Lube while the mechanic tries to sell me on new air filters and windshield wipers. How are you?"

"I'm fine. I wish you would have told me your car needed an oil change. I could have taken your car in last weekend."

"That's sweet of you Edward, but really it's unnecessary. I can handle it." I tried hard not to resent the idea that I needed help handling my own household. I had been doing it for far longer than he had and with a child.

"I didn't mean that you couldn't. I just worry about you. You are still recovering" Edward seemed so earnest and sweet. It was hard to stay mad at him for long.

"I'm feeling just fine. Oh, Charlotte, no don't. Come back over here."

"I was curious what you were doing tomorrow." His inquiry barely registered. I was more interested in Charlotte's sudden interest in the people waiting in the lobby. Charlotte was such a social child it wasn't odd for her to make friends with people in public places, and I didn't mind as long as I was right there. I just couldn't figure out what she was doing. All I could tell is that she was running from people to the soda machine and back.

"Tomorrow, Tommorrow isn't good for us. Charlotte has a birthday party in the afternoon and I have a ton of work to do since I picked up a few more papers than normal to edit. Charlotte, what are you…" My stopped mid sentence and watched in half-horror, half-amusement as I realized my daughter was taking money from other customers and getting their sodas for them. I stared at her as she handed a cold cherry soda to an elderly woman.

Edward waited patiently on the phone as I watched Charlotte repeat the action for a middle aged man in construction clothes. "Edward, I have to go. We have a situation here. Apparently my daughter is the new soda czar of the Jiffy Lube."

Edward laughed hard, "Right, well, I'm glad you are feeling better."

"Thanks, Edward. Talk to you later."

By Wednesday of the next week, Edward and I had managed to exchange a half dozen voice messages, but still hadn't managed to catch each other on the phone. I was surprised he kept trying, but the boy was nothing if not persistent.

Edward's phone calls, his insistent presence had me in a tailspin. The logical part of me was raging that I needed to back away from him and start ignoring his phone calls. He was a man who would surely not be around for long. A great girl was bound to scoop him up soon, and that would be the end of whatever this was. If I had learned anything from my past relationships was that no matter how wonderful the guy seems at first, it's always just a cover for the real jerk underneath. I didn't want to get attached. There was too much at risk if I did.

His phone calls were always filled with concern, a desire to help that I couldn't make heads or tails of. I had spent all of my adult life and most of my childhood making sure I stood on my own two feet, that I was the caretaker not the other way around. I hated that he felt I needed someone to come and take care of me. I hoped I wasn't exuding a damsel in distress vibe. The last thing I needed was to depend on another guy who was only going to leave me.

On the other hand, I would never admit out loud how nice it was to have him come spend time with me while I was sick. It was an incredible relief for him to do such simple things as change the light bulbs in the bathroom, fix the wheels on Charlotte's favorite fire truck, or to wipe down the inside of the refrigerator. In fact, Edward's presence made me feel safe and calm, and those feelings were had been in short supply in my life lately.

I buried myself in my work and in Charlotte to cover the emotional rollercoaster I was feeling every time I saw my phone. I had more important things to worry about than my own silly feelings. I simply couldn't afford to be distracted by something as ridiculous as a boy.

* * *

Edward and Ben walked into the firehouse kitchen in search of snacks. They had just finished dropping off an elderly patient at the hospital after a fall in her house, and they were in desperate need of sustenance. Edward grabbed a soda and some baby carrots, while Ben snatched up chips and salsa.

"Always the health nut, huh, Edward?" Ben teased and headed into the living space where the other guys were watching ESPN. Edward had spotted Emmett taking care of some equipment back in the bay and I took the opportunity to talk to his brother alone.

Trying but failing to look casual, Edward headed towards Emmett as he checked something on the rig. "So, Em…I was wondering if you had heard from Bella this week?"

Emmett stopped what he was doing and eyed Edward up and down with a smirk on his face. "Have a heard from Bella? Oh, bro. You have it bad."

"What are you talking about? I was just curious to see if she was feeling any better." Edward put a carrot in his mouth and prayed Emmett would just answer him and let it go.

"Don't think you can pull that with me, Eddie boy. I'm your older brother and I can read you better than that. You like her." Emmett lived for teasing his brother. It was one of the few things he did better than Edward, the wonder boy.

"Of course I like her. We've been friends for a while now. She's a really nice girl."

"No, you LIKE her like her. I can see it in your eyes. Eddie has a little crush on our Bella. It's alright. You know the girls have been trying to get the two of you together for like forever now."

Edward's feet suddenly became very interesting as he willed himself not to be embarrassed. Sighing and grabbing his hair with his hands, he turned toward Emmett. "Okay, so say I like Bella as more than just a friend. She's…she's amazing. One of the most interesting women I've ever met. And she makes me feel, I don't know, just feel for the first time in a long time."

"And you're just now realizing this?"

"No, I mean, yes. I mean, I've always like her, but the timing was never right, with losing Tanya and living in Boston when she was here. Now that I'm here and I got to spend some time with her, she's all I can think about. I just want to get to know her better."

"So what's the problem? Just call her." Emmett always went with the simple and straightforward technique.

"I have. Probably too much. The problem is I can't seem to get any time with her. We play phone tag for days, then when I finally do get to talk to her she is so busy she can't talk. I tried all the things I could think of but none of them seem to get me any real time with her. "

"Yup, that's our Bells. The girl is supermom. Sometimes I wonder how she does it all, but she manages it. Not without a cost though. She never does anything for her. She's the most selfless person I know. She lives for that little girl. I can understand that now that I'm going to be a papa too, but she deserves to have her own fun sometimes too."

"So, what should I do?" Edward didn't ask Emmett for advice often, and definitely not about girls. He felt like a seventh grader trying to get advice on how to ask a girl to the dance.

"For starters, the way to Bella's heart is through Charliebeth. You got to love that little girl if you are going to have a shot with her mom. Bella doesn't like to leave Charlotte with sitters so find things the three of you can do together. It took the girls forever to figure out if they wanted to see Bella we had to do Charlotte-friendly things. It was a huge shift from bars to parks, but it's actually kinda fun when you get creative."

"That makes sense. When I asked her to dinner, I didn't even think about how early Charlotte goes to bed."

"Exactly. Next, work with what you have, and what you have are a sister-in-law and their best friend who are dying to get Bella out of her mom-shell and back to even a little bit of their old friend. I'd start by enlisting their help." Edward considered this for a moment. He wasn't unaware of their past matchmaking between Bella and himself.

"I don't know. I don't want to make this whole thing a set up and go behind Bella's back. I don't know her that well, but even I know that's going to backfire."

"True, once you release the pixie, you never know what's going to happen. She and Rosalie combined are a force of nature. Maybe talk to mom and plan a family dinner? You know mom would love to have everyone over now that you are in town. Mom and dad always invite Bella and Charlotte to those kinds of things and at the very least, it will probably secure you a little Bella time."

"Good advice, bro. I'll give mom a call." Edward scrunched up his face trying to think of exactly how to word his request to his mom so he wouldn't give himself away.

"Eddie-kins, you know I love you, but I have to warn you. If you really want Bella you are going to have to work for it. She isn't like the other girls who just throw themselves at you. It's obvious she has been hurt before by guys, but she's never come out and said how badly. Plus, she's a selfless mom so you are going to have to woo her and Charlotte at the same time. Are you sure you are up to it?" Emmett had always felt protective of Bella. Out load he blamed it on how they had met the girls, when Bella had accidentally started a small fire in their apartment. The truth was, Emmett always wanted a little sister and Bella needed a big brother more than she would ever want to admit. She and Jasper were close, but Bella knew without question Emmett would do anything for her or Charlotte.

"I know it won't be easy, Em. But I can tell she'll be worth it." Edward spoke with more confidence than Emmett had expected. "And Emmett…"

"I know, I know. I'm the best."

"No, I was going to say, keep your mouth shut."

Emmett took two fingers and mimicked zipping his mouth shut and throwing away the key.


	5. Dancing with the Tickle Monster

"Come on! Come on! Come on! We are going to be late!" Charlotte, fully dressed and in her coat, grabbed my elbow and pulled nearly causing me to stab myself in the eye with my eyeliner.

"Hold your horses. We'll go in a minute." I said, regaining control of my arm and very carefully finishing my makeup.

"Hurry! Oma Esme has a new book for me and Uncle Emmett challenged me to a Mario Kart tournament. We. Have. To. Go!" Impatience was one of the bad habits my daughter inherited from me, and it was seriously obnoxious when turned back onto me. I'm sure she thought the same when she heard those exact same words in that exact same tone pretty much every morning.

"Okay, okay. I'm ready. Let me grab the salad stuff and put on my coat." I checked myself in the mirror one more time and sighed at my reflection. I looked as good as I was going to get, which was just a step above plain. I was never one to really put much time and effort into my appearance, but tonight I had actually put on makeup and straightened my hair. All the while fervently ignoring the voice in the back of my head that reminded me the only reason I would actually put thought into my outfit was that I was going to be seeing Edward.

I double checked to make sure I had everything and we were off. Emse had insisted on hosting a family barbeque to celebrate Edward's move back to Chicago. I always felt like a party crasher when I came to their family events. Charlotte, on the other hand, had no such reservations and treated Carlisle and Esme exactly like grandparents. Rosalie and Alice had started dating the brothers Cullen while we were in college and the five of us had become a family of our own creating when I got pregnant. By the time Rosalie and Alice officially become Cullens it was just assumed I was part of the family too, like a package deal.

Charlotte didn't get to spend much time with her grandfather Charlie so Esme and Carlisle always went out of their way to make Charlotte and I feel like we belonged. They had always extended me an invitation right along with their sons and daughters-in-law to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other family events when they knew I didn't have the money or time fly to visit my father in Forks. No matter how I objected, they insisted there was always a place at the Cullen table, and I was glad that no matter how I felt Charlotte felt like she had a strong extended family.

I barely had the car in park in the driveway before Charlotte was out of her car seat and ready to hop out. While I grabbed our stuff, she ran straight through the front door and into the house without stopping to knock.

"Charlotte, you know better than that, young lady. We do not just run into people's houses without knocking." I called after her. I saw Carlisle step out and move to help me carry my bags inside.

"Don't worry about it, Bella. She's just excited for Esme to spoil her rotten." Carlisle smiled at me.

"Oh, please, more than half of that spoiling comes from you. That little girl has you and all her uncles wrapped around her little finger, and she knows it. I just hope you all tone the spoiling down a bit when you have your first real grandchild." Sometimes my daughter was too cute for her own good.

He looked at me in pretend shock as he took my coat. "Charlotte does not have to be blood to be my granddaughter and it is my God given right as her Opa to spoil her, fill her with sugar and send her back to you completely wound up and unable to sleep. Besides, I'm not the one who already has a stack of presents with her name on it for Christmas."

I rolled my eyes at him as he walked past me to put my coat and purse away. I dropped the bags of food on the kitchen counter with a thud. Esme wiped her hands on her apron and greeted me with a huge, motherly hug. Charlotte was already talking animatedly with Alice and Rosalie on the other side of the kitchen. They both smiled and waved at me, while trying to keep up with Charlotte's story.

Esme and I got to work on putting together the salads and side dishes. The men were outside manning the meat, despite the chilly October weather. Alice, as always, was banned from touching any of the food. No one would eat anything she had cooked after The Great Food Poisoning of 2004 where everyone had spent at least 24 hours curled up in the bathroom, one of us with an infant. Instead, Alice took to a fervent conversation with Charlotte about her Halloween costume.

"Esme, what can I do to help?" Rosalie asked, refilling her tea.

"We've got it dear. I don't want to keep you on your feet. Just sit and keep us company." Esme shooed her toward a stool at the breakfast bar.

"Really, Esme. I want to help." Rosalie was still early enough in her pregnancy to insist it wasn't slowing her down. I knew first hand that wasn't going to last long, but I certainly wasn't going to be the one to tell her.

"Nonsense" Esme insisted, "Just pull up a chair and put those feet up." Rosalie opened her mouth to object when Alice neatly shoved a chair into the back of her legs taking her out at the knees. She landed with a thump.

"We know you aren't an invalid, but Esme's going to win this round. We just want to take care of the baby, so sit and rest while you still can." Alice interrupted before turning her attention to me.

"So, Bella, how have you been feeling?" Alice said, sliding back onto her stool. Charlotte had run off to find something more interesting to do.

"Fine, fine. It took me forever to get my classes back on track. It was a good reminder why I hate using subs."

"It's probably payback for how awful we were to the subs when we were in school. Do you remember the time we all switched names for the day when we were in fifth grade? Or in high school when we convinced the sub in history that our quizzes were always open book? "

"What do you mean 'we', Miss Trouble-with-a-capital-T. I had nothing to do with either of those." I had always been the calm, reserved level-head to Alice's bubbly, idea-filled excitement.

"Oh please, you may be able to pull off that goody two shoes persona with your parents and mine, but I know better."

"Any trouble I got into I did it because you and Rosalie dragged me along. And you will keep your stories to yourself till Charlotte is a little bit older." I laughed and nudged her as Charlotte ran into the room.

"Ahhh! Mama! The Tickle Monster is going to get me!" She sprinted around the kitchen to hide between my legs and the cabinets.

"I'm coming to get you!" Exaggerated footsteps moved from the hall to the kitchen. I expected to see Emmett burst through the doorway but instead it was Edward who came in, hands up and prepared to tickle attack.

"Your mom can't save you now!" Edward thundered as he approached the cowering form attached to my legs.

Charlotte screeched as at the last minute, I scooped her up and placed her protectively on my back. I took a spatula and wielded it like a sword. "Bad Tickle Monster." I scolded and whacked his arm gently with the spatula sword. "You stay away!"

Edward grinned ear to ear before groaning in pretend pain and lifting his hands in surrender. Charlotte was giggling hard as he pretended to crawl away in fear. The guys chose that moment to enter the kitchen with plates of chicken and steak. Carlisle lifted a questioning brow at Edward, but Edward just kept playing it up for his small audience of one.

Charlotte jumped off my back and ran to Alice. "Aunt Alice, can you play mama the Good Night song?"

Alice looked baffled for a moment then understanding lit up her face. "My dear, that is a fabulous idea. We could use some pre-dinner music." Alice went to take a sip of her wine before setting it down but that was too time consuming for Charlotte. Charlotte grabbed Alice's hand and jerked her towards the kitchen door, nearly causing Alice to drop the glass all together. She managed to set it on the last piece of counter before she was dragged completely from the room. I shook my head as everyone laughed.

"I never thought I would see the day when someone would have enough energy to drag Alice anywhere." Jasper said with a grin.

"What's the Good Night song?" Rosalie asked.

"I honestly don't have a clue. She's been talking about it since she stayed with Alice and Jasper the night I was in the hospital. No matter how many songs I guess, I still have no idea what song she means."

Soon Alice and Charlotte returned with an Ipod and speaker set. After a little set up, the room was filled with music. Immediately, Charlotte started dancing around the kitchen floor using all her best moves from dance class. "Alice, isn't this song called I've Got a Feeling?" Rose asked

"Yeah, but listen to the chorus. I bet you that's where she got the name. Man, Bella, you're girl's got some dancing skill. She obviously didn't get that from you."

"No, she got that from those dance classes she's been taking at the community center."

Before long, everyone was dancing along with Charlotte back and forth across the kitchen floor. Jasper grabbed Alice, spun her around and dipped her. Emmett stepped right up behind Rosalie and swayed with her, his hands around her waist. Even Carlisle came over and placed one hand on Esme's hip and the other in her hand. They turned and moved together, smiling as if they were newlyweds. Charlotte rushed over the Edward and grabbed his hands. He spun her around and around keeping her little hands in his larger ones.

I leaned back against the counter and took a sip of wine. I knew better than to attempt any dance moves or I would be spending dinner in the ER. Looking around, a pang of loneliness hit me so hard I shut my eyes a moment. When I opened them again Charlotte was dragging Edward over to me.

"Come on, mama. Dance with us!" Charlotte grabbed my hand while Edward snaked an arm around my waist. The three of us intertwined we rocked to the beat. Soon Charlotte tired of dancing with us and escaped to prance around the kitchen in circles. I expected Edward to remove his arm from my waist, but instead he moved to put his hands on my hips. Not knowing what else to do, I put my arms on his shoulders and let him lead.

As the music faded, it seemed for just a brief second like Edward was pulling me closer to him rather than letting go. He looked at me with an intensity I didn't recognize, but the moment was broken when Esme declared it was time to eat and everyone grabbed something to take to the table. Dinner was filled with conversation and laughter. It always made my heart light be with the Cullens. Here I didn't have to be mom Bella, teacher Bella, or tutor Bella. I was just Bella and that was enough.

Like ants we lined up one after another with dishes as we cleared the table. We almost ran right into one another when Rosalie suddenly stopped just inside the kitchen doorway. "Oof! No soccer in there, baby."

"Is he kicking again?" Emmett looked both thrilled and a little upset.

"Yes, and hard!" Rosalie winced as her dishes down on the counter. Emmett got down on his knees in front of her and put his face right up to her stomach.

"Hey, buddy, I need you to quit kicking your mom so hard. I know you are stretching and growing and stuff, but you don't want to hurt her. It makes her grumpy." Emmett whispered conspiratorially to their unborn child. Rosalie rolled her eyes at him.

"Uncle Emmett! The baby can't hear you. It's inside Aunt Rosalie's tummy." Charlotte looked at her uncle as if he was crazy.

"Sure it can hear me. The baby can hear me and you through Rosalie's tummy. I talk to the baby so it knows I'm the daddy and that I love him." Emmett brought Charlotte closer to him and Rosalie. She looked at him, not quite sure if he was pulling her leg or not.

"Aunt Rosie, can the baby really hear me?" Charlotte looked at her aunt. It was amusing that Charlotte wasn't sure if Emmett was teasing her, but she knew Rosalie would always tell her the truth.

"Yup, the baby can hear us. Do you want to talk to the baby?" Everyone followed Rosalie and Charlotte into the large living room. Charlotte settled onto the couch with her face on Rosalie's lap. She put her tiny hand on the barely there bump under Rosalie's shirt.

"Hi, baby. My name is Charlotte Elisabeth Swan. I'm five, but I'm almost six, and I'm going to be your…" Charlotte's face scrunched up as she tried to come up with the right word.

"Cousin." Rosalie prompted.

"I'm your cousin and I'm going to play with you and help take care of you and teach you stuff, like how to play Mario Kart and school. I'm going to love you so much." Charlotte stayed like that for a little while just telling the baby all the things they were going to do once the baby was born. Everyone fell into comfortable conversation. I few minutes later Charlotte turned and looked at me. "Mama, do I have a daddy, like the baby?"

Suddenly, all conversation stopped and everyone turned to Charlotte. It was the first time she had asked me about her dad in front of other people. "Sure you do. Everyone has a mom and a dad." I had long ago figured out the simplest answer was the best. I shouldn't answer questions she hadn't asked. It just complicated things for her.

"Is Uncle Emmy my daddy, too? Like the baby in Aunt Rosalie's tummy?" Charlotte looked questioningly at Emmett and Emmett chuckled to himself.

"No, Uncle Emmett is your uncle, not your daddy." I answered, trying not to laugh. Charlotte and Emmett had always had a close relationship, so I was surprised she asked. In any other setting, though, it could have been really awkward.

Charlotte seemed thoughtful for a moment. "Why doesn't my daddy love me like Uncle Emmett loves the baby in Aunt Rosie's tummy?"

And there it was. The question I had hoped to postpone for a few more years, or a few more decades. I never wanted Charlotte to feel like she was unloved or unwanted, and that meant hiding the whole truth from her and everyone else. I would keep the whole truth about her father from them as long as I could. I motioned for Charlotte to come over and sit on my lap. She came over slowly and looked at me.

"Sometimes babies are born and the mom and dad are ready, like Emmett and Rose. Sometimes babies are born and the mom and dad aren't ready. Your dad wasn't ready for a baby. He couldn't take care of you the way a dad should. He loved you enough to know it was better for you to be with people who could love and care for you in ways that he couldn't."

"Oh." Charlotte considered that then she asked, "So my daddy didn't talk to your belly when I was inside you? He didn't get you funny foods to feed me like Uncle Emmett does for Aunt Rosalie?"

"Nope, but do you know who did?"

"Who?"

"When you were growing inside me, your Uncle Emmett would talk to you all the time. Every time your Uncle Emmett saw me, he would talk to you. He would sit with me on the couch and tell you jokes or all about his day at the fire house. Sometimes he even sang to you."

"She's lucky she isn't deaf. I've heard Emmett sing and it's about the right tone to make ears bleed." Jasper joked.

"Well, I kept him limited to 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' and 'You are My Sunshine' so it wasn't too bad. A couple of times I had to remind him no Queen or Van Halen for the baby." I laughed out loud when I remembered how Emmett had tried singing Bohemian Rhapsody to my pregnant belly. "And when you would move around a lot and kick me, he would tell you to calm down and you always did just like he did with Rosalie."

"Really, Uncle Emmy?" Charlotte looked at Emmett with big eyes.

"Yup, how do you think I got so good at talking to the baby inside your Aunt Rosie?"

"And do you know who got your mom funny foods when you made her want funny things to eat?" I prodded, helping Charlotte focus on the love of her slightly unorthodox family.

Rosalie raised her hand and Charlotte's eyes got very big. "We lived together, Rosalie, Alice and I, and Rosalie was the designated food-fetcher."

"Once your mom refused to go to sleep until I went out at three in the morning for tacos and fudge. And we always had to have fish fingers and M and M's in the house. Unfortunately, I was also the person who helped hold your mom's hair back when she got morning sickness. So I got to see all that food more than once."

"Gross!" Charlotte exclaimed sticking her tongue out. "What about Uncle Jasper and Aunt Alice? Did they help too?"

"Your Uncle Jasper talked to you all the time while he helped me do well in all my classes at school so I could be a teacher. He would stay up late and read to us, help me study for tests, and check over my papers to make sure I would pass. After you were born, he would come over and hold you while I studied. He's the reason you are so super smart." Jasper beamed at me. He had gotten me through school when I had been ready to give up.

"Your Aunt Alice made sure you had everything you needed. She got your clothes, your blankets, all the pretty stuff in your bedroom. She made sure we got pictures and videos of everything about you from the time you were in my belly until now. She was so excited about you that she threw two different baby parties before you were even born."

"I wasn't going to leave your wardrobe to your mom! Plus, you know I can always use a good excuse for a party."

"Yeah, except I could have done without the first party. I spent most of that one nauseous in the bathroom."

"Well, everyone else enjoyed it!" Alice smirked at me. I knew she had thrown that party to help me get excited about the baby. The first few months of my pregnancy had been hard, and I was struggling to feel anything positive about being pregnant. Even the little bit of the party that I was able to enjoy made a huge difference in my attitude.

"Your Oma gave me all the best advice about how to take care of you. Your Opa was your doctor who took care of you from the moment you came into the world." Charlotte looked around the room but I couldn't read the expression on her face. I hesitated, giving her time to digest all those stories.

"Baby Girl, does it make you sad you don't have a dad like our baby?" Emmett looked at her with seriousness that I didn't see often on his face.

"Nope. I got my mama, Uncle Emmett, Uncle Jasper and my Aunt Rosalie and Aunt Ali and Oma and Opa and now my Edward to love me. Lots of people help take care of me, even if my dad can't." I was floored. She was so mature and thoughtful that sometimes I had a hard time believing she was not even six.

I held her face in between my hands. "That's right, baby. We love you so much. Please remember that. It's okay if sometimes you feel sad about not having a dad like other kids. But I want you to remember how much you are loved."

"K, mama. Can Uncle Emmett and I play Mario Kart now?" And just like that, the moment was over. Emmett scooped her up and walked her over to the television to get everything set up.

Before long everyone all the Wii-motes were out and Charlotte, Emmett, Alice, and Carlisle were locked in the heat of a race. I got up to do some of the dishes in the kitchen. I had just started when Edward stepped beside me with a dishtowel in hand. He didn't say anything at first, content to help me rinse and dry. It was a comfortable silence and I wasn't in a rush to break it.

Instead it was Edward that spoke first. "So, there is this really neat playground they just put in near my apartment. I was wondering if you and Charlotte were interested in going over there, maybe taking a picnic lunch."

My mind was racing. He was asking me out, and by his tone this wasn't just a friendly outing. It was a date. A date! Disjointed thoughts bombarded my mind. I thought of the only two dates I had been on since Charlotte was born. Both had been blind dates and complete disasters, mostly due to the fact that Alice has tricked me into them. As a mom I felt strongly that I shouldn't be taking my daughter out on dates with me, especially with a man I barely knew. I had gotten to know Edward pretty well over the past few years, but I had no idea what he would be like once I got to know him better. As Emmett and Jasper's brother I knew he would be around more now that he was in Chicago, but that was another reason why I shouldn't accept his invitation. It could all go horribly wrong and I would lose my entire support system. My mind was confident it wasn't worth the risk. Too bad my heart seemed to be in disagreement.

"Bella, I think that dish is clean." Edward half-smirked as I noticed I had been violently washing the same pan the whole time I was lost in thought.

"Oh, right. Um…here." I handed the dish to him and his hand brushed against mine. I felt an warming, electric current where we touched and I jerked my hand back away from his. "Edward, I don't think that would be such a good idea. I mean, you and I getting together…" I wanted to continue but before I could Alice ran into the room, practically vibrating with excitement.

"I have the PERFECT dress for you to wear tomorrow night! This is going to be so much fun!" She bounced up and down on the balls of her feet while I stared at her incredulously.

"What on earth are you talking about?" I said, looking between Alice, Jasper, and Emmett as they came into the kitchen.

"Dinner tomorrow night, silly. Jasper has managed to get us a table for six at this fantastic new place downtown. It's supposed to be amazing and it's a miracle we got a table." Alice attempted to dazzle me, but I caught Jasper's momentary look of confusion before he covered it up.

"Is that right, Jasper? How did you manage that?" I looked at Jasper with my best innocent face. I knew something was up.

"Well, I…we…answered a call to the house of one of the chefs and he said he could get us in." Jasper kept his face smooth, but his response was stuttered. Emmett looked baffled.

"I don't remember…"Emmett interjected. Alice elbowed him in the ribs hard, but tried to cover it up as a friendly gesture.

"Sure you do!" Alice said quickly. "And Carlisle and Esme were just telling us how much they want to have Charlotte come over and spend the night. They are dying to spend some quality time with her."

"They were? I must have missed…" Emmett's face looked thoroughly confused now. Alice's swung her foot out then solidly connected her heal to Emmett's shin. "What the…?" He exclaimed, rubbing his leg and staring daggers at Alice.

"Sorry, Emmett. Accident." Alice said sweetly.

I exchanged confused glances with Edward, but he just shrugged at me and went back to drying dishes. He was not going to be of any assistance if I was going to get out of whatever convoluted set-up this was. "Alice…I don't know. I don't want to impose and I don't know…" I said trying to quickly formulate a rebuttal.

"Don't be like that! It will be great. Charlotte loves it here and I've already set it up for them to take her overnight tomorrow night so that we could all go out. It'll be just like old times. Come on, Bella. It will be great, and I miss you so much. I never get to see you and you're my best friend." Now she was pulling out the big guns. She had on the saddest face she could muster. She even had tears building in her eyes. I had been played. I knew I was done for as the fight drained out of me.

"What time are you coming over to play Bella Barbie?" I said with a sigh. I was greeted with an ear shattering squeal as Alice thrust her arms around my waist.

"I guess the park will just have to wait for another weekend." I heard Edward say. I caught a glance of his grin before Alice forcibly removed me from the room to talk hairstyles.


End file.
